Hit the Trail

Virginia Winder, Nelson Smart & Sophie Walker
  • 0.0 (0)
  • GOVERNMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Love gardens, art, and a touch of inspiration? Then Hit the Trail with hosts Virginia Winder, Nelson Smart and Sophie Walker! Every Tuesday at 1pm, we’ll bring you the inside scoop on the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival, the Sustainable Trails, and the Taranaki Arts Trail. From interviews with passionate gardeners and artists, to tips and stories that make these festivals come alive – we’ve got everything you need to plan your perfect trail.

Episodes

  1. 10/28/2025

    Hit the Trail: Episode 9: Chris and Steak Goodin, Gwenda Pease & Maureen Holmes-Woods

    Art, miniatures and food forests bring the series to a colourful close. Virginia Winder and Nelson Smart visit the Goodin Country Garden for the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival, where volcanic rocks, mature trees and lush lawns set the scene for works by Karl Maughan, Jeff Thomson and Erica Soman – with all three artists in residence on opening weekend. Sophie Walker explores Creekside Cottage in Stratford for the Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Trail, where Gwenda Pease’s food forest brims with chickens, berries and pollinator plants. In central New Plymouth, Virginia and Nelson also meet Maureen Holmes-Woods, whose quirky dollhouses and studio – a craft heaven – will delight visitors during the Taranaki Arts Trail.

    58 min

  2. 10/21/2025

    Hit the Trail: Episode 8: Katy & Willie Roach, Jo Stallard & Stuart Greenhill & Alana Ruakere

    Cars, collectables and creativity wrap up this series. Virginia Winder explores Kahikatea for the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival, where Katy and Willie Roach’s peaceful garden is surrounded by QEII-covenanted bush, colourful plantings and Willie’s collection of American cars. Sophie Walker heads to Stratford’s Fenton Street Art Collective for the Taranaki Sustainable Build Trail, where Jo Stallard and Stuart Greenhill share how they transformed Egmont Chambers into a café, distillery and creative hub using reclaimed materials. Virginia also meets Alana Ruakere, whose expressive abstract paintings in bold primary colours will be on show for the Taranaki Arts Trail.

    1 hr

  3. 10/14/2025

    Hit the Trail: Episode 7: Ian & Elsie Lind, Peter & Cathy Gehr & Korrena Kidd

    Palms, quail and creativity fill this episode. Virginia Winder explores Nikau Grove for the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival, where Ian and Elsie Lind’s Garden of International Significance is alive with native bush, boardwalks, wētā hotels and a waterfall. Sophie Walker visits Blue Cypress Haven in Waitara for the Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Trail, where Peter and Cathy Gehr have turned a tiny 300m² section into a thriving food garden with quail, bees and solar power. And Nelson Smart joins Virginia to meet New Plymouth artist Korrena Kidd, who will have a diverse range of creative works – from painting and sculpture to photography – on show for the Taranaki Arts Trail.

    59 min

  4. 10/07/2025

    Hit the Trail: Episode 6: Morris/L’Amour/Heart & Soil

    Virginia chats to artist, painter, printmaker, musician and gardener Stu Morris ahead of the Taranaki Arts Festival from his cottage in Brooklands surrounded by his art that is due to open for the festival this year. Sophie Walker drops into Heart and Soil in Ferndale for the Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Trail, where Mieke Verschoor’s five-tiered permaculture garden overflows with fruit trees, worm farms and a subtropical grove. We end today's episode with Chris and Gloria Smith from L’Amour Garden who have entered their delightful Inglewood Garden in this year’s Centuria Garden Festival for the first time this year.

    59 min

  5. 09/30/2025

    Hit the Trail: Episode 5: King/McDonald/HobartHaven

    Today we hear all about Centuria Taranaki Garden Festivals Tikoki Garden in New Plymouth owned by Janet and John King, where visitors can meander down the path to a delightful sanctuary garden filled with rhododendrons, roses and a terraced vegetable garden. We also hear about the backyard revolution at Hobart Haven, Hayley and Seton Pennell’s vibrant space that talks the talk of Refuse, Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle as they prepare for the Sustainable Backyards Trail. Then Nelson and Virginia chat with stone carver Kevin McDonald whose passion lies with his hammer and chisel ahead of the Taranaki Arts Trail.

    1 hr
  • 5 Episodes

About

Love gardens, art, and a touch of inspiration? Then Hit the Trail with hosts Virginia Winder, Nelson Smart and Sophie Walker! Every Tuesday at 1pm, we’ll bring you the inside scoop on the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival, the Sustainable Trails, and the Taranaki Arts Trail. From interviews with passionate gardeners and artists, to tips and stories that make these festivals come alive – we’ve got everything you need to plan your perfect trail.

Information

  • Creator
    Virginia Winder, Nelson Smart & Sophie Walker
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (C)Access Radio Taranaki
  • Show Website
    Hit the Trail